Headaches | Migraines

Are you suffering from headaches? Headaches are common . . . but if you are experiencing a lot of headaches or they are causing terrible pain, it is time to see your provider. The doctors at MaineHealth can evaluate your headaches and provide the right treatment. You can get back to the things you love to do.

Headache emergencies

Usually a headache is not a dangerous condition, but sometimes it can be a sign of a serious problem. You should seek medical care immediately if you have:

A headache that comes on very suddenly (“thunderclap headache”)

Severe headache with fever and confusion

Headache with new neurological symptoms like weakness, numbness, difficulty walking

Severe headache after an injury

What are headaches?

Headaches might feel like a painful throbbing or like something tight is squeezing around your skull. There are many different types of headaches.

Tension headaches are common and feel like a tight band around your skull.

Migraines are severe headaches that can have other symptoms, like vomiting or sensitivity to light.

Cluster headaches cause sharp pain on one side of your head and watery eyes or a stuffy nose.

Sinus headaches are pain or swelling in, around, or behind the sinuses near your eyes.

Daily or chronic headaches occur more than 15 days each month. They can be migraine or tension headaches.

Post-injury headaches are caused by a blow to the head such as a sports injury or car accident.

What are migraine headaches?

Migraines are severe headaches with additional symptoms like nausea or sensitivity to noise and light.There are many types of migraines that can cause severe head pain. There is also a migraine that does not cause head pain. Instead these migraines cause stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting. They are more likely to affect children than adults.

Identifying Headache & Migraine Triggers

Your provider can likely diagnose the cause of your headache by listening to your symptoms and doing a physical exam. Your provider may also check your movements, vision, and balance. If you have headaches often, it is helpful to try to identify if there is a trigger such as certain activities or foods that bring on a headache. If you can identify triggers you can try to avoid these. Keeping a diary of your daily activities and headache pain can help.

Your Provider May Prescribe Medication

See your provider about recurring headaches. It is important to find the reason for your headaches. Depending on the cause, your doctor may prescribe medication or advise you to take pain relievers. There are other things you can do to help ease the pain such as:

Lying down in a cool, dark room

Relaxation

Applying hot or cold packs to your head

Therapy to help control how you respond to pain, such as relaxing your muscles or lowering your heart rate

Therapy to help manage stress that can lead to headaches

You can also develop a plan to avoid the things that trigger your headaches and migraines.

Frequent Headaches? Keep a Diary

Keeping a diary about your headaches can help to prevent headaches in the future from coming back as often as they do.